This book deals with all aspects of the Merlin legend, from its origins to its expression in medieval and modern literature, film, and popular culture. Following an extended introduction and a full bibliography, the volume offers nearly twenty essays--some newly commissioned for this volume, others selected from the most important scholarly and critical studies of Merlin and his role. Two of the reprinted essays are translated into English for the first time.

Geoffrey Ashe's book on this legendary figure offers a succession of surprises. The Merlin of legend was born to be a magician. He was 'immaculately' conceived and was able to interpret dreams and utter prophecies. Even his fate was imbued with magic. Like Arthur, he acquired immortality and sleeps on Bardsey Island, in a subterranean chamber with nine companions. Ashe reveals the man behind the myth, establishing beyond doubt the historicity of a Welsh prophet called Myrddin Emrys. Despite his 'supernatural' status it is Merlin, of all the great characters of the Arthurian world, who has the strongest claim to have existed.

Merlin, the wizard of Arthurian legend, has been a source of enduring fascination for centuries. In this authoritative, entertaining, and generously illustrated book, Stephen Knight traces the myth of Merlin back to its earliest roots in the early Welsh figure of Myrddin. He then follows Merlin as he is imagined and reimagined through centuries of literature and art, beginning with Geoffrey of Monmouth, whose immensely popular History of the Kings of Britain (1138) transmitted the story of Merlin to Europe at large. He covers French and German as well as Anglophone elements of the myth and brings the story up to the present with discussions of a globalized Merlin who finds his way into popular literature, film, television, and New Age philosophy. Knight argues that Merlin in all his guises represents a conflict basic to Western societies-the clash between knowledge and power. While the Merlin story varies over time, the underlying structural tension remains the same whether it takes the form of bard versus lord, magician versus monarch, scientist versus capitalist, or academic versus politician. As Knight sees it, Merlin embodies the contentious duality inherent to organized societies. In tracing the applied meanings of knowledge in a range of social contexts, Knight reveals the four main stages of the Merlin myth: Wisdom (early Celtic British), Advice (medieval European), Cleverness (early modern English), and Education (worldwide since the nineteenth century). If a wizard can be captured within the pages of a book, Knight has accomplished the feat.

Was Merlin a mythical character or a real person? If he was a real person, when and where did he live? In this provocative survey of all the known literary and historical sources, Jean Markale pieces together a compelling story of who and what Merlin might have been. Combining his investigation of the sources with fragments of Celtic mythology, Druidic culture, and the esoteric tradition, Markale draws an enlightening portrait of the archetypal Wild Man and shaman known as Merlin, who lived in the Lowlands of Scotland late in the sixth century, some fifty years after the reign of King Arthur. In a state of divine madness Merlin sought refuge in the forest, where he inherited the gift of prophecy. With him was his companion, Vivian, an essential element of the Merlin legend. Their sacred clearing in the woods--described in some legends as an invisible castle of glass or air--was the site of their ecstatic journey of enlightenment and union with nature. From his place in the Cosmic Tree and outside of time, Merlin the enchanter challenges us to reexamine our way of life. When the Merlin legend resurfaced in the twelth century, his message of the universal brotherhood of all beings and things called out to a rapidly urbanizing society that was losing touch with nature. His warning, which went unheeded, is no less relevant to us today than it was at the dawn of the modern era.

The edition includes every Fitzgerald story collection, short story, with poems and non-fiction. Table of Contents: Stories 1909–17 This Side of Paradise Flappers and Philosophers Stories 1920–25 The Beautiful and Damned Tales of the Jazz Age The Vegetable The Great Gatsby All the Sad Young Men Stories 1926–34 Tender is the Night Taps at Reveille Stories 1935–40 The Love of the Last Tycoon Stories 1941– The Pat Hobby Stories Miscellaneous Writings Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896 – 1940) was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigmatic writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century.

Analyzes the historical impact of Merlin from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries, during which time he was considered a political prophet and historical figure, and explores how the meaning of his magic evolved over the centuries.

The Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald is a collection of the influential author's literary masterpieces, showcasing his signature writing style characterized by rich prose, vivid imagery, and deep exploration of the decadence and disillusionment of the Jazz Age. Fitzgerald's works often delve into themes of love, ambition, class struggle, and the American Dream, making them timeless classics that continue to resonate with readers today. This comprehensive anthology includes iconic novels such as 'The Great Gatsby,' 'Tender is the Night,' and 'This Side of Paradise,' as well as his acclaimed short stories and essays, offering a complete portrait of his literary genius. As a prominent figure of the Lost Generation, Fitzgerald's writing reflects the societal upheavals of his time while capturing the essence of human desires and aspirations. His evocative storytelling and profound insights into the complexities of human nature make his works essential reading for lovers of literature and fans of American fiction.

This carefully crafted ebook: "The Complete Books of F. Scott Fitzgerald" is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. This eBook offers you the unique opportunity of exploring F. Scott Fitzgerald's work in a manner never before possible in digital print. The edition includes every Fitzgerald story collection (published in his lifetime), short story, with poems and non-fiction. Novels: This Side of Paradise (New York: Charles Sons, 1920) The Beautiful and Damned (New York: Scribners, 1922) The Great Gatsby (New York: Scribners, 1925) Tender Is the Night (New York: Scribners, 1934) The Love of the Last Tycoon – originally The Last Tycoon – (New York: Scribners, unfinished, published posthumously, 1941) Short story collections: Flappers and Philosophers (New York: Scribners, 1921) Tales of the Jazz Age (New York: Scribners, 1922) All the Sad Young Men (New York: Scribners, 1926) Taps at Reveille (New York: Scribners, 1935) Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896 – 1940) was an American writer of novels and short stories, whose works have been seen as evocative of the Jazz Age, a term he himself allegedly coined. He is regarded as one of the greatest twentieth century writers. Fitzgerald was of the self-styled "Lost Generation," Americans born in the 1890s who came of age during World War I. He finished four novels, left a fifth unfinished, and wrote dozens of short stories that treat themes of youth, despair, and age. He was married to Zelda Fitzgerald.